Leippya In Burmese mythology, the soul materializing as a butterfly that hovers about the body of the dead. During life, if the soul leaves the body, a person will become sick and die. Sickness is believed to be caused by wandering souls under the control of some evil person or witch. If a mother dies, she may come back as a spirit and attempt to steal the soul of her child. To avoid this, a mirror is placed near the child, and a film of cotton is draped on it. If the film slips down into a kerchief placed below the mirror, it is then laid on the child’s breast, and the soul of the child is saved from its evil mother. The soul of King Mindon Min, who died in 1878, lived in a small, flat, heart-shaped piece of gold that was suspended over his body until burial.

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Encyclopedia of World Mythology and Legend, Third Edition – Written by Anthony S. Mercatante & James R. Dow-Copyright © 2009 by Anthony S. Mercatante